I have quietly been going through the C25K and managed to get through each week, sometimes it is easy, sometimes it is really hard (this forum has been really helpful, thanks!). However, I am really struggling with breathing! My husband runs with me and is fit as a fiddle, I thought by now the breathing would have been easier!

My body is coping quite well with the running, so I wanted to ask if there was any advice out there regarding breathing technique? I've tried in for four and out for three, my mouth, my nose but these are failing miserably as it feels like I'm not getting enough oxygen. My husband is constantly chatting whilst we are running and I can hardly get a word out.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

13 Replies

Well done on getting this far! Re: Breathing, I find that if I think about my breathing too much I get even more breathless! If I can firmly remove it from my mind and think about something else it becomes less of an issue. We breathe naturally the rest of the time so maybe letting your body do it on its own may help? It's also worth checking if you have exercise induced asthma, that's a real pain in the patootie but controllable. I have asthma and it only stops me when I get a chest infection. Good luck and keep on running 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

You may be overthinking it. I remember at about your stage I would get my knickers in a knot trying to breathe 'properly' and end up practically hyperventilating with the stress of it. I decided to try not to bother about it (easier said than done, I know) and listened to music I could sing/hum along to, which helped regulate my breathing. Also, finding the correct 'ratio' of in breaths to out - mine is 2 steps in, two steps out, but I tried every variation until it felt right. And expand your tummy using your diaphragm, not your chest, on the in-breath - I find this really helps when I'm puffed.

We do..or can do think, as the others say, about it and once we do... eeek! I used to hold my breath in the early days.. very difficult!

Breathe any way that you want to, just keep breathing and.. are you running slowly enough ?

Is your husband a fast runner and you are keeping up... Slow is the new fast and often just pulling back a tad can help with so many things . The whole programme should be enjoyable and not a major effort constantly. Not always easy, but should not be causing major problems.

So slow it down? Think snail on a go-slow.. think about rhymes, recipes, look around, anything to not focus on the breath!

My husband is very fit, bless him, he's going slow. I was going very slow but have been going a wee bit faster over the last couple of weeks. I might just tone it down a bit and take everyone's advice by trying to not think about it (I actually notice that when I look at hubby whilst he's chatting it actually does get better - perhaps distraction is the answer!).

I mentioned this once elsewhere but it might help here. When I was martialing at Parkrun I noticed that the front runners were breathing very loudly. And the ones at the back (where I usually am!) were breathing very loudly too. The ones in the middle not so much. What I took from that is that those who're really pushing themselves - either because they are beginners or because they are trying to win - will be more out of breath than those who're doing the sort of comfortable jogging that maybe the majority of leisure runners aspire to. There are lots of folk chat the entire way round the Parkrun. I just do Ivor the Engine impressions.

I have Asthma.Exercise AND cold-induced types. So for me, just being able to run 5k in the slightly less than 40 minutes I've currently achieved is AWESOME to me

The breathing has improved but basically I see it as a means to an end so I just do it however it happens. Our bodies are bloody marvellous at adapting to fit a repeated habit so I'm pretty sure it will figure out the best pattern of breathing for me wth time. I will never win the Boston Marathon so I honestly don't worry about the nuances of running, I just enjoy the run

I've made some suggestions in the past that I may be of use. But make sure that you're belly breathing rather than chest breathing. You can check which one you're doing now, just see which part of you is moving more as you breath. Practice pushing your stomach out. Core exercises, such as planks, will also help over time.